Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
STAY COOL, BE CALM, DON’T PANIC SPEAKERS SAY AT A WEBINAR ORGANISED BY PIB
Kolkata, 31st July, 2020
Eminent personalities from different walks of life expressed their confidence in successfully countering and combatting COVID-19 at a webinar titled ‘Mental health in COVID situation’ organized by the Press Information Bureau, Kolkata today. The speakers requested the citizens not to get panicked and over react in this unforeseen situation but to follow the rules and protocols set by the health experts to prevent the disease and to stay calm and composed.
Inaugurating the webinar Shri R.N. Mishra, Director General, Press Information Bureau, Kolkata said that in the existing situation mental health is a real challenge. He advised not to be depressed and get overstressed with corona as it can be prevented if the norms publicized by the health ministry are followed. He said that numbers of cases of domestic trifle have surfaced in recent times, the origin of those internecine bickering could be traced as anxiety or other psychological problems. He requested everybody to follow the set of preventive rules publicized by the health experts.
Prof. Saikat Maitra, Vice Chancellor of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology  said that this is a universal problem and we will have to combat it with the available gadgets and gears. He said that new areas of opportunities are opening up and one should take advantage of the arising situation. He asked everyone to pursue the hobby which once they practiced along with other engagements. Prof. Maitra requested the students’ community not to get depressed but to take benefits of the new improved technology to achieve their desired goal. He informed that numbers of new digital platforms, like Swayam promoted by the central government, have come up to solve the problems faced by different sectors like education, marketing, medicine, in this unforeseen situation and one must take full advantage of it. He said that filling mind with good thoughts is the necessity of the time.
Dr. Madhumita Dobe, Director-Professor  All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata said that in the era of ‘Infodemic’ we should keep ourselves updated with the correct news and not with the gossips and rumors spread by the different media. She iterated that less than one percent of the infected people have died and others have recovered. She agreed that due to absence of social life stress is playing a negative impact on our mental health but that needs to be controlled as the excess stress leads to more infection. She again stressed the need for wearing proper mask in a proper way as an established defense mechanism for fighting covid-19. Dr. Dobe said that healthy diet, exercise, peace of mind, meditation and proper sleep are the need of the time. She said it is necessary to follow the protocols to prevent the spread of the disease by using mask, soaps and sanitizers.
Dr. Ajanta Guha, Yoga Instructor said that the yoga leads to the union of body and mind, which is the necessity of the time. She said that breathing exercise followed with yoga can help in combatting the Corona infection. She stressed the need for doing at least half hour yoga every day for rejuvenating our immune system which in turn will fight with the virus and help us.
The webinar was attended by Smt. Jane Namchu, Addl. Director General of PIB and ROB, Kolkata, and eminent nutritionist Smt. Mitali Palodhi. The programme was conducted by the Deputy Director of PIB Smt. Chitra Gupta.
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